Gene exchange between species can influence ecological and evolutionary processes ranging from population rescue to adaptive radiation. Genomic tools have provided new insights into the prevalence and nature of gene exchange between species. However, much remains unknown of how ecological, behavioral, and evolutionary factors determine what genetic variation moves between species in the first place. In particular, more research is needed that evaluates whether such factors bias gene flow from one species to another, and whether any such biases affect how genetic variation from another species is ultimately retained in the genome of a given species. Addressing this issue is crucial in a changing world where hybridization and introgression might determine which species succeed and which become extinct.

物种之间的基因交换可以影响从种群拯救到适应性辐射的生态和进化过程。基因组工具为物种之间基因交换的普遍性和性质提供了新的见解。然而，关于生态，行为和进化因素如何决定哪些遗传变异首先在物种之间移动的问题，仍然有许多未知数。尤其是，需要进行更多的研究，以评估这些因素是否使基因从一个物种流向另一物种，以及是否有任何这种偏置影响最终将来自另一物种的遗传变异保留在给定物种的基因组中。在这个不断变化的世界中解决这个问题至关重要，在这个世界中，杂交和渗入可能决定哪些物种成功而哪些物种灭绝。